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Spirit of Discovery - Loss of Propulsion in Heavy Weather, Bay of Biscay, Over 100 Injuries, Fatality

The passenger vessel Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion on 4 November 2023 while crossing the Bay of Biscay in heavy weather, resulting in over 100 passenger injuries. Eight seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital on arrival into port, and one of these passengers later died from his injuries. The MAIB investigation identified five key safety issues: propulsion loss due to violent motion causing propeller exposure and automatic shutdown; unexpected parking of both propulsion pods at 90 degrees to the vessel's heading; failure to effectively challenge the decision to cross the Bay of Biscay; inadequate implementation of the mass casualty incident plan; and delayed identification of a spinal injury leading to suboptimal treatment. Recommendations have been made to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, classification societies, the propulsion manufacturer, and the Cruise Lines International Association to address these systemic safety gaps.